Princess Charlotte is wealthier than every child on Earth, even her own brothers Prince George and Prince Louis, The Mirror reports—and it’s all because of Charlotte’s mother, the Princess of Wales, and her taste in luxury fashion.
According to a study reported on by the outlet, Charlotte has a net worth of £3.5 billion, just slightly higher than George’s current net worth of £3.4 billion. This net worth, The Mirror reports, is calculated based off of the kids’ estimated future inheritance plus their individual impacts on the U.K. economy.
And how Charlotte edged out the future king all comes down to fashion: “Although her net worth has dropped by 12 percent since 2021, she still edges out her older brother Prince George, apparently due to the ‘Kate Middleton effect,’ where the fashion choices of the royal family can have a huge impact on fashion trends,” the outlet reports. The proof is in the pudding—nearly if not every time Kate wears an outfit, it sells out almost instantaneously, and Charlotte has inherited her mother’s ability to influence and boost the economy through her fashion choices.
Like Kate, Charlotte’s fashion includes pieces from designers like Alexander McQueen, but also high-street favorites like John Lewis, Next, and Zara, The Sun reports. She also frequently wears lines like Rachel Riley and Trotters, and, reflecting her age, is often seen in floral dresses, often with short, puffed sleeves and a collar. She’ll add tights to a look if the weather is cold, and also favors hand-embroidered and intricately smocked tops and Peter Pan collars. “She also likes cardigans, hair bows, knee-high socks, and traditional leather shoes,” The Sun reports.
As she gets older, no doubt the world will be watching to see what a preteen Charlotte, and then a teenage Charlotte, and then a twentysomething Charlotte is wearing—and the “Princess Charlotte effect” will only intensify.
Kate’s influence on sales for the British fashion industry is enormous and cannot be overlooked: it boosts British brands upwards of £1 billion annually. Research from Brand Finance cited Kate as “the most powerful royal fashion influencer” and reported that pieces Kate wears increase desirability 38 percent for American shoppers. Cementing her place in fashion—whether she wants a place in fashion or not—Kate appeared on the cover of British Vogue’s 100-year anniversary issue in June 2016, and the “Kate Middleton effect” shows no signs of stopping. Like Charlotte’s ever-evolving style as she ages, Kate’s style too has undergone a shift as of late, with less of the coat dresses she had become synonymous with and more pantsuits and edgier looks, further adding to the intrigue surrounding what she wears—and the profits from it.
